Chapter 2: The Creepy Forest

"I have not, and thanks for the compliment, Belvedere, I think," Grimbly replies. "I'm not one for taverns much and ditties."

Later as dusk threatens Grimbly is glad that an owl is among their party. "I wish Moonshadow luck, for where our eyes are useless in the dark of the night, your owl will surely be an asset."

As for being prey to the night animals, Grimbly replies with a snort, "I wouldn't be too tasty being mostly of muscle and sinew."

"Oh, dreadful! So tough, and awfully hard to chew through." he starts up. "Though, that would give the rest of us more time to make good our escape!" he says to the others with a wink and good natured chuckle.

"Pray we don’t have to slow them down with so noble a sacrifice, Grimbly!"

"Indeed, tough as nails I am and any foes we encounter best realize it. But what's this your clever owl has found?"

Grimbly examines the cap from where he stands, allowing Belvedere to pick it up if he so chooses.

"Has someone near fallen foul of a bandit or two? This bodes ill for us already. He can't be far. Yet dark is almost upon us. Shall we follow or leave him or them to their fate and make camp?"

Suddenly Grimbly notices that his crowbar is glowing. "Oh. My crowbar. What has happened to it?"

Xaka has no time for hats, as it doesn't look like it's repairable. "Bandits, that would be expected. What lonely forest road doesn't attract ruffians and thugs?"

When the crowbar begins glowing, she narrows her eyes. "Is it supposed to do that? Does it detect hats?"

"Oh, surely it would provide an opportunity for some practice before we reach all that bother at the Castle!

A few bandits against us, the Heroes of… well, I’ll think of a snappy title before long! Hardly a contest!

And perhaps a coin and a bottle of something for our efforts from the gentleman!" he says with the wiggle of an eyebrow!

"Practice it may not be. Defending ourselves from the undead sounds more serious than practice I'm afraid. Our glowing weapons could signify more than one of them. Let's hope we are up to the task! Do we have a plan? We have some time before we clash."

"A fray! I'm entirely in favor of this practice. Good job, Moonshadow!"

She continues, in full investigator mode. "And, this must be the hat from the leader of the undead. He is likely kerfuddled by now, so what better opportunity to strike."

"Plan Grimbly? How often have we had a developed one of those? Well...practice or not, this will certainly be a test of our newly enchanted weapons. Ready to write your first verse Belvedere?" says Kendral.

"Yes, nice work Moonshadow..." repeats the elf before continuing to Xaka "aww...he likes when you give him praise."

He looks back up where the bird circled. "I say let's follow Moonshadow's lead and try to ambush the undead before they can do the same to us."

Grimbly examines his enchanted crowbar again. Its glow has him almost hypnotized. Snapping out of it he wonders about the hat.

"It could be that the hat belongs to a victim, Xaka. Hopefully not." To Kendral he nods enthusiastically. "Well Kendral, it looks like we now have a plan and I heartily approve! Lead on Moonshadow. We will be right behind you."

"Once four did through the woods trod,
All armed, save but one left clutching his rod…"

Belvedere starts up with a smile and a wink, flitting the magical wand about dramatically!

"He might be the undead. I've never heard of the dead hanging someone, but maybe I should knock on wood just to be sure." She heads for the big tree, to knock on it and shake the omen of bad luck. She looks at the others, hoping they'll back her if a horde of the restless dead swarms her. She better knock twice.

"Ugh. I am sad to say I was right. The hat belongs to that poor unfortunate hanging from the tree, yonder."

Grimbly notices the crowbar glowing ever brighter, clutches it more tightly in his palm, and calls out, "Who is out there? I demand you show yourself!"

"So impulsive," Kendral quietly sighs but nonetheless closely follows Xaka to watch her back, readying an arrow along his brightly glowing blue-green bow string.

Upon Grimbly's words Kendral draws back the bow string and examines upward toward the hanging figure and beyond into the tree, pointing the arrow in the directions he looks.

Once satisfied that the others hadn’t been pounced upon, Belvedere joins the others up by the tree.

He pokes the body with the end of his rapier.

"Ghastly, I know! But we might as well see if this chap is the source of all the lights."

He prods a few more times, to really jolt the thing awake, if such a thing was going to happen!

"Prodding my body or the tree is fruitless, Travelers" The young man informs you in a hallow voice. "And don't worry about them" He gestures foppishly towards the band of skeletal men-at-arms who are watching you from a distance "They failed to protect me in life; now they serve me in death."